Canadian bee disease crisis “overblown”

The Kashmir bee virus (KBV) scare in British Columbia (BC), Canada has been overblown says Paul van Westendorp, a provincial apiculturalist with the Ministry of Agriculture. The reports came as something of a shock to local beekeepers who didn't think there was a problem.

In the spring, KBV resulted in massive losses — 80 to 90 per cent mortality — at a Fraser Valley commercial bee operation. It is unknown what impact, if any, the virus could have on BC apiaries and fruit production. “My crystal ball is probably not better than anybody else's,” van Westendorp said.

Mr van Westendorp will probably be more careful in his dealings with the media in future.